Animal trap



March 7, 1933. J, ,f PNEUMAN 1,900,733

ANIMAL TRAP Filed May 29, 1951 Patented Meer, 1933 i 1,900,733

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES naw-1N PNEUMA'N, orv cAmLLUs, NEWv Yom:

ANIMAL 'maar Applicatie med my 29, 1931. serial No. 540,936.

This invention relates-to an animal trap of they same trap taken in the plane of line in which a pair of opposed jaws are pivoted .2f-2, Figure l, in which the dotted lines at their ends to upstanding flanges on the indicate the closed position of the jaws and opposite ends of a supportlng bar or frame the'positlon of the spring for closing said 5 and are adapted to be closed by a spring jaws. I

under the control of the bait pan. l l `Figure 3 ls-an end view of the same trap The main object is to simplify the conwlth the jaws closed and the spring in postruction" by reducing the number of parts sltio'n for lclosing the same. and at the same time to increase the general Figure 4 1s a detail sectional viewtaken efficiency of thetrapv both in the setting of in the plane 0f lille 4.-4, Figure l, showing 60 the jaws and in the manner of releasing the more particularly the manner of holding the same from their set positions.` spring against its owny tension for permit- One of the specific objects is to provide a tlng the jaws to be opened and also showing single jaw-operating spring which may also the cam on the heel of the pan for effecting serve for out-bearings for the Vtrap upon the the release of the spring from engagement 65 ground or other support when the jaws are yvltll the pan-Supportlng post when the pan Set, 1s depressed.

Another object is to utilize the same Figure is a perspective view of the despring in cooperation with the pan-supporttached spring.

2o ing post for automatically locking the lgure 1s a top plan v1ew ofthe bait 7 spring in its tensioned position and thereb Vpall ShOWlIlg the ears onthe heel of the pan allowing the jaws to be freely opened or a asy unfolded before bending. t justed to any particular angle to each other AS. lllustlated, thls trap comprises a single free from the tensjonvof the Spring, IGlallvely IlaI'IOW SllbSltIlllally rectangular Another Object, is t() provide, the heel 0f frame. bar.. l Of Sullitbl metal elOl'lgted lll the pan with cam means for releasing `the one direction and having its opposite ends spring from engagement with the post by bent upwardly to form similar flanges 2 havrelatively light `downward pressure upon 111g Opp0S1te palrs ofiallgned apertures 3 the pen and thereby to effect a, quick and for the reception of plntles 4 on the ends powerful closingof the jaws bythe spring. 0f 8. pair of jaws 4, the major portionsv of 80 Another Objectis to enable the ends ofthe eaCh' jaw 4between the pintles being offset spring to be easily and quickly attached to linmore-or less arcuate form to one side of the frame before the jaws are assembled its axis of rotation, as shown more clearly thereon and without the use of special tools. in Figure 1.

Another object is to utilize portions of The frame bar 1 is provided near one end 85 the spring as pivotal connections fora suitwith a substantially central upstanding postV v able yoke or clevis to which the anchor 5 which is preferably formed separately chain may be swivelled, thereby constitutfrom the bar and'rmly riveted or otherwise ing a double swivel connection between the secured thereto for receiving and supporting '10 anchor chain and trap. j e r a bait pan 6, the rear edge of the post 5 90 Other objects and uses relating to specific being recessed at 7 to form a shoulder 8 in arts of the trap will bebrought out in the spaced relation to the upper face of the bar ollowing description. `lv for receiving and engaging the adjacent r In the drawing j f portion of av wire spring 9, presently de- 4" Figure l is atop plan of an animal trap scribed. 95

embodying the various yfeatures of 1 my in- The heel of the bait pan is provided with vention in which the moving parts .are a pair of opposed apertured ears 10 bent shown in their set positions ready for operdownwardly from the plane of the pan and ation.. e arranged in spaced relation corresponding Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view approximately to the transverse width of 100 the post 5 for engaging opposite faces thereof, the post 5 and eais 10 being provided with aligned apertures for receiving a pivotal pin 11 by which the bait pin is pivotally connected to the post for free vertical movement, the ends of the pivotal pin 11 being upset or enlarged to hold it against endwise displacement.

The spring 9 is preferably made of a single piece of wire in the form of an elliptical split ring of somewhat greater length than that of the jaws 4 and frame bar 1, so that the sides thereof may underlie the jaws at opposite sides of the frame bar when the trap is set, as shown in Figure 1,

The end portions 12 of the split wire ring 9 are returned inwardly a relatively short distance and then downwardly at 12 and are inserted from the outside inwardly through apertures 13 in the adjacent upstanding flange 2 just below the corresponding pintles 4 before the jaws 4 are assembled upon the frame bar 1 after which the downturned terminal ends 12 are passed through apertures 13 in the hori- Zontal portion of the bar 1 a relatively short distance from the adjacent upturned flange 2, thereby locking the corresponding end of the split ring to the frame bar against lengthwise or lateral movement relatively to said bar.

The intermediate portion of the opposite end of the spring is bent inwardly at opposite sides of the adjacent upturned flange 2 to forni a recess 14 and a cross bar 15 across the inner end of the recess so that the opposite walls of the recess will be arranged in more or less close proximity to corresponding side edges of the adjacent upstanding flange 2, while the cross bar will extend across the upper face of the bar 1 between the post 5 and adjacent flange 2, as shown more clearly in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The opposite arms as 9 of the wire spring 9 are bowed outwardly and the connections between the cross bar 15 and adjacent ends of the arms 9 are also arcuate or arched outwardly.

In like manner the connections between the inturned extensions 12 and adjacent ends of the arms 9 are curved in opposite directions so that the crossbar 15 is free to spring endwise of the split ring which is tensioned to cause the central portion of the cross bar to enter the recess 7 in the post 5 and to engage the shoulder 8 to hold the spring ring under tension when setting the trap.

When the ends 12 and 12 of the spring ring 9 are engaged in their respective apertures 13 and 13', the remaining portions of the ring will be tensioned to normally spring upwardly somewhat beyond the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 so as to continue to exert pressure upon the lower or outer edges of the adjacent ends of the jaws when the latter are placed in operative position upon the franie bar 1. v

That is, after the spring ring is assembled upon the frame in a nianner described, the jaws 4 will be placed in operative position in the apertures of their respective flanges 2 with one end of the jaws extending through the recess 14 in the adjacent end of the spring ring, as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 3, so that when the end of the spring ring 9 adjacent the cross bar 15 is depressed by hand against the tension of the ring, the intermediate portion of the cross bar 15 will ride against the upper cam face 16 of the post 5, thereby pressing said cross bar outwardly toward the adjacent flange 2 until it'rides under and engages the shoulder 8 on the rear edge of the post 5, at which time the adjacent end of the spring ring will be locked against upward springing movement to allow the jaws 4 to be fully opened.

The connections between the cross bar 15 and opposite arms 9 of the spring ring forni loops 17 extending beyond the adjacent ends of the jaws 4 and also beyond the adjacent flange 2 to form handles or finger pieces .by which the adjacent end of the spring ring may be depressed against its own tension until the cross bar is interloclcd with the shoulder 8, as shown in Figure 2, it being understood that the arms 9 will then extend llengthwise directly under the outer portions of the jaws when the latter are opened and that the inner arms of the f loops 17l will also extend across the lower edges of the adjacent portions of the jaws.

The ends of the jaws 4 adjacent the cross bar 15 are provided on their outer edges with inclined cani faces 18 substantially midway between the pintles 4 and outer faces of the jaws the portions of the adjacent ends of tlie jaws below the cams 18 being of less combined width when the jaws are closed than the transverse length of the cross bar 15, or distance across the loop of which the cross bar 15 forms the inner wall. The portions of the adjacent ends of the jaws above the cam faces 18 have a coinbiiied width when the aws are closed somewhat greater than the length of the cross bar 15 and transverse width of the recess 14, so that when the adjacent end of the spring is released from engagement with the shoulder 8 on the post 5 in a manner presently described, the adjacent end of the spring will immediately spring upwardly. thereby causing the opposite wall of t-he recess 14 to engage the cam faces 18 for closing the jaws against each other, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

The shoulder 8 on the post 5 is disposed in a plane below that of the pivotal pin 11 for the bait pan 6, so that when the opposite ears 10 are mounted upon the pivotal pin l1 at opposite sides of the post 5 their lower ends 19 will extend across and engage the inner edge of the cross bar 15 when the latter is engaged with the shoulder 8 to hold the bait pan in a substantially horizontal plane, as shown more clearly in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The lower portions of the ears 10 on the heel of the pan 6 constitute what may be termed pawls adapted to be operated by an animal stepping or pressing down upon the bait pan for engaging the cross bar 15 and forcing the same against the tension of the spring 9 out of engagement with the shoulder 8, thus permitting the adjacent end of the spring to fly upwardly under its own tension with considerable force for closing the jaws upon the entrapped animal.

During this latter operation the bait pan 6 will drop downwardly by its own weight or by the weight of the animal thereon to assure the entrapping of the animal and at the same time to throw the pawls 19 rearwardly beyond the shoulder 8.

It therefore follows that when the rear.

end of the spring 9 is again depressed for re-engaging its cross bar 15 with the shoulder 8, it will simultaneously engage the pawls 9, thereby forcing the same downwardly and at the same time raising the pan 6 to its horizontal position, thus completing the setting operation of the trap.

In other words the simple act ,of depressing the rear end of the spring 9 will cause the cross bar 15 to automatically restore the pan 6 to its set position, while on the other hand when the pan is depressed by the animal it will Aautomatically trip the cross bar 15 from the vshoulder 8 to release the rear end of the spring and thereby allow it to close the jaws.

It is now evident that when setting the trap it is not necessary for the operator to touch either the bait pan or jaws, but simply to depress the rear end of the spring until interlocked with the post 5, thereby settingr the pan 6 to its horizontal positionz and allowing both jaws 4 to be moved safely to their fully opened positions.

The return bends 20 of the front ends of the spring 9 form loops to which are pivotally attached the opposite arms of a U- shaped yoke 21 having a central aperture 22 in which is pivoted one end of a swivel bolt 23 having its other end provided with an eye 24 for attachment to a chain 25 or equivalent anchoring device, the latter being arranged to be fastened to a stake or any other anchorage in the ground near the place where the trap is to be set.

The operation of the invention has been described in such full and exact terms as will enable anyone skilled in the art to make invention.

What I claim is f 1. In an animal trap having a frame and a pair of jaws pivoted thereto, a post on the frame having a shoulder, a jaw-operating spring mounted on the frame and movable into holding engagement with said shoulder against its own tension, and a baitpan pivoted to said post and provided with an extension adapted to be engaged by the spring when the latter is engaged with the shoulder for releasing said spring from the shoulder when the bait-pan is depressed.

2. An animaltrap comprising a frame, jaws pivoted to the frame, a post on the frame having a shoulder, a spring ring elongated in the direction of length of the jaws and having one end attached to the frame and its other end movable by hand against its own tension into holding engagement with said shoulder, the opposite sides of the ring being adapted to engage the jaws for closing the latter when the spring is released, and a bait-pan pivoted to said post and provided with an extension adapted to be engaged by the spring when the latter is engaged with the shoulder for setting the pan and re-acting against'the spring to release the same from the shoulder when the pan is depressed.

3. In an animal trap, a frame, cooperative primary jaws pivotally mounted on the frame to swing about parallel axes, a detent xedly mounted on the frame, a jaw operating spring mounted on the frame and depressible against it tension into holding engagement with said detent, and a bait pan hingedly mounted on the frame and provided with an extension projecting into the path of movement of the detent-engaging portion of the spring to cause the bait pan to be automatically set to its operative position when the spring is engaged with the detent.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of May 1931.

JAMES I. PNEUMAN.

and use the same, but evidently various changes may be made in the construction 

